Championship sides are now "taking note" of Joe Lolley’s attacking threat at Nottingham Forest, according to Martin O’Neill – who says the winger must find a way to cope with that challenge.

Derby were the latest team to try to shackle the former Huddersfield man, by instructing two or even three men to close him down, whenever he gets on the ball.

Lolley still managed to provide plenty of attacking menace against the Rams but, as Forest prepare to head to Stoke City this weekend, O’Neill warns the 26-year-old will have to continue to adapt to being a marked man.

O'Neill has handed Lolley more of a free role in recent weeks, playing as a number 10, but with a license to drift into wide positions.

Forest head to face a Stoke side who have struggled for form recently, this weekend, and O'Neill expects Lolley will have to deal with being a marked man again, as they look to build on their win over Derby.

“I think Joe is a player who teams are taking note of now,” said O’Neill.